Today, some 40 million people worldwide are uprooted by violence and persecution. They do not just flee persecution and war, but also injustice, exclusion, environmental pressures, competition for scarce resources and the miseries caused by dysfunctional states. The task facing the international community and volunteers, is to understand this new environment and to find ways to unlock the potential of refugees who have much to offer if they are given the opportunity to regain control over their lives.

We are highlighting how volunteers are assisting refugees integrate in their adopted countries, find jobs and become volunteers themselves.

Bonn, Germany: Whenever our televisions show distressing scenes of war, famine or disaster, inevitably we ask ourselves: “What can we do to help?” It’s the kind of question that makes us human, and many people do go the extra mile and act. Read article

Kathmandu, Jhapa and Damak, Nepal: As well as a street cleaning campaign, UNV cooperated with UNESCO and local NGOs in Kathmandu to distribute books to orphan children. There were also events in the Bhutanese refugee camps of eastern Nepal. Read article

Mianyang, Sichuan province, China: In order to make the best use of the IFRC tents, we negotiate with the Mianyang Red Cross that all family tents will only be used by hospitals and schools; small tents go to individual refugees. According to the plan, together with the regional health delegate UNV will help track the usage and operate an inspection to avoid abuse of the system. Read article